Prettiest Sid
by Solarissis
Summary: All i wanted was a shower and my bed, i had to wake up early for work tomorrow. But what i got was a wounded red werewolf in my living room and rabid ones attacking my cabin. Just when i thought i had found some peace something like this happens.
1. Chapter 1

_This story takes place a few months after Iconic Ideals, You don't have to read Iconic Ideals to understand this story, I am just using a few of my characters here bc I love them so much 3, Anyways I hope you guys like it. And let me know what you all think : )_

I don't know what made me choose the town of Gaelen, Minnesota. It had a population of 1,304, so I guess that might've been it. Or maybe I chose it because it as was as far north as I could go without precisely leaving the country. But truth was that in such a small town I found exactly what I was looking for, a fresh start. I had picked up my bags and left home two years ago and never returned. Now I lived as a quiet newcomer in a comfortable cabin I rented, which was a twenty-five minute drive from town.

For that matter the world had changed much since I left home. Human beings were once again free and somewhat willing coexist with the many supernatural species that had came out of the closet years ago. I did my research before I came to Gaelen, everybody here is as human as can be. It is a town where the supernaturals are a distant reality, just the way I like to keep them. I like it better to know that my winchester and I can take care of any dangers around us. I don't precisely like things that can spit my shotgun's bullets out as if it were child's play.

My mobile rang, vibrating against the polished wood of the kitchen counter. It was rarity that it rang to begin with. I kept a cell phone for the sole reason of being contacted from my job at the diner, or in case of an emergency. It the past months I think I could actually count the times when it rang. I looked at the small glowing screen and realized that the number was saved to my contacts. 'K. T.' it said. Kyle Tate.

Kyle was a man I met when I first came to Minnesota. Despite his stoic stance and scarcely amused expression I later learned Kyle was an angel. Well not literally, but close enough. He never asked about my past and for that sole reason I think we became friends. He helped me find a place, get settled which I had kinda forgotten how to do. I had been on the road way too long.

When I arrived to Gaelen I had run out of cash and though before I had always found a job to earn some money for a while before I picked up and left, I had not held a job in a few months. So I hitchhiked to Gaelen in the dead of winter, despite beiong flat broke. Soon after I stepped into town snow began falling like thick cotton balls and my leather jacket was not enough to keep me warm. I wanted to search for a motel, but with no money and no purpose I simply walked around town searching for potential shelter from the storm. As I walked through town a man came out of a convenience store holding one too many boxes and bags. He was a bit taller than average height, yet I had no doubt in my mind that the weight of the boxes and bags were not the problem, the problem was the quantity.

"Give me a hand here, Mary Lu is going to give me hell if I don't get this to the diner before the storm sets it." He had said as if oblivious to the snow falling on his beanie.

Before I thought anything of it, I took the bags from his hands and said 'Lead the way.' Soon after he bought me food at the diner for my 'troubles' and we became friends.

Yet I had not heard or seen the man in nearly four months. I ran to the phone.

"Where the hell have you been?" I said in mock outraged.

"How's it going over there?" He said. I could hear the engine of a car in the background.

"Pretty good, Mary Lu wanted me to know where you've been, I think you should give her something pretty when you come back, or she's gonna box your ears." Mary Lu was the owner of the single diner in town, though she never had any kids, in her mid fifties she was the maternal figure everybody should have. She was especially protective of Kyle, who could undoubtly take care of himself.

"She's gonna kill me." He laughed quietly. His laughter faded and a pregnant silence grew within the line. Something was wrong.

"Not that I am not happy you're calling, but why are you calling? Is there something wrong?" The silence stretched out further.

"Listen, Sid. I'm…in the area…and well…well I've got a problem. I was um…hunting and my dog got attacked by an animal."

"Is he okay? Did you take him to the vet?"

"The animal was weird, Sid. I don't think it was normal…I don't wanna alarm Carson, you know he'll tell the whole town in two seconds flat…can you…um, can I bring my…dog so you can take a look."

"I didn't exactly finish school for that, Kyle."

"Yeah, but you went to school for it and you grew up in a farm, remember." Yeah I remember. I grew up in an Oregon farm with my dad, a Lakota Indian with tender heart. Because of him, I learned a lot about animals.

"Alright, bring him in."

"Thanks, Sid. Would you move some the furniture in your living room aside, he's quite a large, um, dog."

"Mastiff?"

"No, just an overgrown wolf dog."

"Right." I said hanging up.

Nearly ten minutes later I had moved my furniture aside in my living room, gotten a first aid kit and threw an old towel over the polished floor. I did not want to explain blood stains on the floor to the landlord. I heard the sound of tires halted in a rush and the horn that told me Kyle was here.

I opened the door and was taken completely surprised by Kyle. Despite the cold air filtering through my thermo, all I could do was stare. He was just as I remembered him, golden skin flushed with the cold Minnesota wind and soft green eyes worried. But he was not the cause of my stare. In his arms lay the biggest wolf-dog I had ever seen. Silky red pelt covered it's body, darkened in certain places by blood.

"Overgrown, huh? Understatement of the year." I said as I moved aside and allowed Kyle indoors. Kyle placed the dog on the space I had cleared up. I still stared at the dog in astonishment. How on god's earth could a dog be so large. It looked like it weighted at least two hundred pounds.

"What happened to it?" Despite the red pelt it was obvious that the wounds were deep. Blood ran from its shoulder and neck.

"We were attacked; we were out hunting and spotted a large animal. It was like a wolf, Sid. But larger and strange…Ghoulish…I don't know how to describe it. Eerie."

"Huh." I said. I did not like any talk of strange things, we had enough of them roaming the world already. They had even subdued humanity years ago. But by the tone of Kyle's voice, I knew there was something he wasn't telling me. But I did not probe.

I knelt down in front of the massive animal, hesitant at first to touch it. Its pale eyes opened, moving intelligently over its surroundings, and then falling on me, making me catch my breath. They closed again as if giving me permission to touch him.

"What do you need me to do?" I carefully massaged the dog's head in an attempt to comfort it. But there was something strange. The skin felt feverish under my touch. I looked up at Kyle, questioningly.

"Disinfect the wounds, that thing was rabid-"

"Why don't you take him to Carson's, he'll need stitching."

"Maybe later, I am just worried about possibility of infection right now." Kyle turned away, taking his mobile out of his coat and dialing.

"Damn it, Kyle. He could be seriously injured, we could call Carson's-"

"Sid, for Christ-sakes, please!" He said before turning away and walking to the kitchen. I heard his speak in hushed tones.

"You, love, have a very stubborn master." I said to the dog as I tied my long dark hair back and pushed the sleeves of my thermo above my forearms.

"I hope you don't feel this much, sweetheart." I said as I opened the bottle of alcohol and began cleaning the wounds. Truth was that the wounds were like large wolf bites, yet what freaked me out was not their size, but the fact that over each puncture, a strange greenish ooze was growing over, as if attempting to seed inside the dog. As I cleaned over the wounds it appeared to be diminishing. But it took a lot of cleaning before the green was completely gone. I even felt the dog tense various times under my hands, but I would always convey soothing words and somehow it appeared to calm him.

"Some friends are coming over to pick him us up." At Kyle's voice I slowly rose to my feet. I walked past him into the kitchen and got the faucet running and began cleaning my hands.

"Your dog needs a vet, babe." I heard a growl come from my living room.

"No he doesn't. He'll heal." Kyle replied stubbornly.

"How? Damn it, Kyle you show up here after four months carrying a giant wounded dog. What the hell is going on?"

"There are things you don't know about me, Sid. But I will explain everything. I promise, as soon as this is over." A growl again, but this time more pained. I walked past Kyle to the living room; I heard his footsteps behind me and his voice attempting to stop me.

"Wait-"

When I had walked out of my living room, I had left a dog wounded on the floor. My eyes widen in surprise and wonder at the sight that me eyes met. There was no dog here now. Not even a trace of the damned thing. Where the giant red dog had been, there was now a wounded naked man trying to rise. The wounds were large bites in the shoulder and chest. He was a large man, not in the overweight sense, but in his strongly hewn body. A body made for work and strength, which gleamed with sweat and flexed with the effort to stand. When he turned his face towards us, something about him made my heart stop. His short red hair stood at ends on his head. His eyes were the bluest eyes I've ever seen, corn silk blue. Intense eyes which widened at the sight of me.

"Sam, what the hell!" Kyle sounded angry, but not surprised.

"What the hell are you standing there for? Get me some clothes, man." He said in a thick southern accent. Struggling to rise but failing, he fell to the floor, sprawling on the bloody towel.

"A Dog, huh?" I said raising my brows.

"Prettiest Sid I've ever met." Sam groggily said, his voice muffled by the towel.

_Little green button lovies, please review and let me know what you think of it : )_


	2. Chapter 2

_Here's chapter 2, I hope you guys like it, please review : D_

"Kyle?" My voice sounded calm, something that I did not feel inside.

"A Wolf? You brought a werewolf into my house?" I said, wondering where the hell his brain was. Yeah I was secretive about my past, but I had never made my dislike of supernaturals a secret to him.

"I did not know where else to go!"

"You knew! You knew how I feel about _them_! You could've at least told me that the damned dog was not a dog at all."

"I am sorry, but-"

"Get him out of here." I said

"Sid-"

I heard a growl from the man lying on the floor. From that _beast_.

"You shut up and play dead!" I said pointing to the man who attempted to rise from my living room floor. He did not get far anyways because he collapsed and fainted. "Get his clothes and get him out of here."

Kyle appeared about to say something but then he froze. His eyes widened and his stance alert.

"They're running in packs." He whispered. His voice sent shivers down my spine.

"What are you talking about?"

"The belvarines." Belvarines? Now I had freaking belvarines coming to my house?

"How many?" My gaze fell on the unconscious figure on my floor. He would be no help like this.

"Five. Gods, they've come to finish him off."

"They're approaching fast, three minutes at most. I am going outside-"

"To fight them?" And then it hit me. Kyle was a shifter as well. "You're a shifter?"

"Yes." His eyes pleaded for forgiveness.

"Okay then. I'll get my Winchester, I think we can hold 'em off for a while-" I wanted to scream and yell, but right now was not the time. I knew how urgent the situation was. I've encountered rabid shifters before.

"No, I'll hold them off, lead them astray and right into the road the pack will be traveling through." Wouldn't they know he wasn't the one the looked for?

"They'll know-"

"No," He said cutting me in. "I smell human to them now, but when I shift I'll be a wolf, they aren't intelligent, they'll think I am him."

He began removing his clothes incredibly fast, his shoes going first and then his coat and shirts, trousers, until he stood as naked as a newborn baby.

"Close the doors behind me, if you can, avoid windows."

"Good luck." I said, I felt betrayed but the betrayal of him being a shifter warred with how grateful I had always felt to have him as a friend.

He gave me a small nod and then he opened the door, letting the brisk November air inside and ran into the night. I ran after him, and suddenly the night wilderness that I found so beautiful appeared terrifying. I closed the door, locking it, knowing that locks would make no difference against belvarines.

I was always a fast thinker, instinct always took over and it was the sole reason why I was alive right now. Every time I fell, I landed like a cat, on my feet and ready to run again. Metaphorically speaking, of course. But I had met Belvarines before and they scared me. They brought back repressed old memories.

Belvarines was a term borrowed from some old video game. Shifters were ruthless predators by nature, for their survival depended on it. But belvarines were simply lethal. They could take out towns with their small packs of six or seven in one night. I had read up on them a long time, in an old book written by 19th century witches. The belvarines were feral shape shifters. Though shifters were immune to any human disease and aged incredibly slowly, they were not immune to this. There is not record how belvarines came to be, only that they were once shifters themselves infected by another belvarine. Upon first being infected the change took nearly three weeks or so and it is said that afterwards they retained a mutated form between their animal bodies and human state until their death when they once again reverted to their human state. I knew this wasn't so. Belvarines often lived in this form, yet they could still turn to human. Though they rarely chose it. Why would they, when a belvarine was a hundred times the predator than a human?

They were scary SOBs.

I knelt before Sam, who still lay naked on his stomach. I was reluctant to touch his feverish looking skin.

"Sam." I said attempting to rouse him. He let out a groan but did not wake.

""Sam, wake up, come on…wake up…" His skin was burning under my hand, shifters had high body temperatures but his was simply sickly. "Sam?" His eyelashes shifted, but he did not move.

I could hear scratching on the cabin walls from the outside. The sound echoed inside causing the hair on my arms to stand up at ends. I could not tell how many were out there surrounding my cabin and that made it all the more frightening.

I came to my feet and ran across the room, leaving Sam alone for a second. I am human, as human as they come and without any weapon I could never stand a chance against a belvarine. I ran up the small u-shaped stairs and into my bedroom. I kept my 30 30 Winchester besides my bedside table. Yes I was paranoid.

I heard as the breaking of glass and the breaking of wood: the back door.

I took the safety off the rifle and carefully headed downstairs. Aiming to anything that moved.

Somehow Sam had woken up, he was crouching, listening carefully. But his body appeared as if it weighted too much for him, it would not be long till he passed out cold again.

I was standing on the last stair when the belvarine ran into the cabin. It came through the back door, running with unbelievable speed and strength.

It was a large beast, one that overwhelmed the cozy space of my cabin. It was tall, nearly six feet-four if it would've been standing straight. Its limbs were long and muscled, almost human in their formation, its chest was wide and combination between wolf and human, fur covered its body, thinning at the strange claws. It's face was wolf-like yet hideously ugly, stuck in the phase between human and wolf. Its feral eyes glowed with insanity.

It ran straight for Sam, who snarled and stood his ground.

But before it reached Sam, I aimed my rifle at it and pulled the trigger, catching the thing in the back of the head. It collapse and I could see as it was changing back to its human state. How the hell was I going to explain a dead man on my cabin?

Sam looked at me and his eyes widened in horror and then I felt myself being tackled with incredible force against the wall and before I knew it, slammed into the floor. I felt the claws digging into my stomach, but not yet breaking skin. I looked up to see a belvarine above me. It was similar the last one, but there was something strange about it. There was familiarity in his eyes.

Then I saw a flash of red tackle the thing sending them sprawling onto the floor in a mess of the wolf's red fur and the belvarine's white. I was shocked for only a moment that Sam was able to shift into his wolf form so fast. I knew that he couldn't hold his own for much longer because of his state.

I picked up the rifle from the floor immediately shot the belvarine, and luckily missing the wolf. But I did not catch this belvarine in the head like the last one, it was his shoulder I got and he turned to me with those eerily smart eyes, growled and then left. It slipped into the night, through the very door he came through.

"Sam?" I said to the red werewolf whom I was willing to kick out of my home minutes before.

It rose from the ground and I could've sworn it gave me a small nod.

We couldn't just sit in the living room anymore. With the backdoor open we would only be open targets. There were four windows in the living room, two in the kitchen and two doors. Much too exposed for my comfort. The best place right not would be my bathroom inside the bedroom, only one small window, too small to fit even a four year old and one door. It was the safest place until Kyle returned. I hope Kyle was okay. My mobile still sat on the counter where I had last left it; I grabbed the device and quickly slipped into my pocket.

The human piece of technology brought me to my senses again, I felt the many places that my body would bruise tomorrow as well, my left shoulder, hip and thigh were sore and I lifted my hand to my forehead to realize that I was bleeding.

"Come on." I said to Sam, who stood looking out into the night. "You're not staying down here. Come on!" I literally had to grab his fur and give him a push, not that he moved anyways. My hundred-twenty pounds were not enough to move a wolf weighting a hundred more pounds than I did.

"Sam, please." Perhaps something about my voice alerted him. I licked my lips, noticing that my lower lip was also split.

We quickly made our way up the stairs and into my bedroom, a comfortable and cozy bedroom. I closed the door to the room, pushed the bureau in front of it and then headed into the bathroom. I did not have to tell Sam to follow me. He did it automatically. I closed the bathroom door after he entered and locked it.

When I had first moved in the bathroom had surprised me. It was relatively large especially for a cabins bathroom. Unlike the rest of the cabin, the walls were made partially from stone. The door was a heavier wood, almost medieval in it's style. There was a large Victorian tub, a sink with a cabinet under it and the toilet. The cabin was built in 1918 and something about the bathroom told me that the then owner, Thomas Shearn was as paranoid as I am.

I started the faucet running and washed my face from the blood. Then quickly grabbed the hand towel and drying it. I looked up somehow surprised to see my grown face in the mirror. For a minute I expected to see myself as a twelve year old. Because I wanted to feel as safe as I felt then. But what stare back at me was the face of a twenty-four year old woman. The cut in my forehead was not large just as I had thought, but a small split of skin when I impacted against the wall. My hair had fallen loose, forming a long straight black curtain over my shoulders. I stared at my pale skin, at my wide hazel eyes and full lips. I quickly turned from the mirror and went to sit on the floor, with my back to the stonewalls, my rifle in my hands and my legs stretched ahead of me, I did not take my eyes off the door.

The only sound in the room was my contained and measured breaths. Sam simply sat on his hind legs right in front of the door. I wondered how he was still up and about. After a while of waiting nothing happened. But when you wait time seems eternal and your mind wonders to the worse.

Sam came to me in wolf form, he laid his head on my lap. Perhaps the fear was making me insane, because I petted him, running my hands through the smooth red pelt. He closed his blue eyes, and opened them again, a gesture so human. He was fighting unconsciousness. His eyes finally closed and he drifted off. I felt the fascinating manner in which his body changed back to human form, the manipulation of the bones, and the change of the skin, right under my hand. In mere seconds a naked redheaded man was unconscious with his head on my lap.

Too weary and too scared to move I reached for my bathrobe without standing up. When I managed to finally lift it off the book on the wall, I draped it over Sam's body.

I felt a tremor through his body and proceeded running my hand through his hair, which was the same color as his pelt. For a second I stared at Sam.

He appeared to be in his late twenties or early thirties. His skin was lightly golden and rosy in tone. His hair was shocking in its beautiful color, a coopery red that would be the envy of any girl. His brows were a shape darker than his hair and so were his eyelashes, which were long and caressing his cheeks. His eyes were hooded and his nose was straight, his mouth was full and deep rose in color. His jaw and chin were strong, his cheekbones high. Despite his coloring, there was no denying he was male. Beautiful, but it was not the beauty of Botticelli's angels but a rough and wild beauty, male and undeniably attractive. I had the urge to lean in and kiss him, to see if his lips were as soft as they looked.

I looked up from the distraction that was Sam and focused on the door and sounds. There was nothing to do but wait and listen. Wait for the belvarine or for help to come, and listen to the deep rhythm of Sam's breathing. Wait and Listen.

_By the way, Belvarines are some were-wolf like creatures that appear in Fable II, a video game. It has alternate spelling though; balverine. I needed to give the creatures a name, I couldn't simply call it 'it' all throughout._

_Anyways,_

_I hope you guys enjoyed it, please review and let me know what you think, my continuing the story depends on it : D_

_-Solarissis _


	3. Chapter 3

_Hey guys I am back. I know I take forever to update but between school, rehearsals and work I barely had time to even wash my hair lols. Anyways I am trying to update every week now, we'll see how that turns out. Anyways I hope you enjoy this chapter and don't forget to let me know what you think : )_

_The-violet-hour- Thank you sooooo much! You loving my characters mean everything to me! I am so obsessed about them that I cant help but to keep on writing lol. _

_My name is of no consequence- I am def thinking about having a chap where the characters in this one get to interact with Ulric and Ava, or at least have like a little epilogue for that story lols…HAHA I am the very same way, I think its silly when vamp have offspring's, though Ava was a part of that lol, but I wont be writing kids for them, so no worries : )_

_Lynzee- No worries, he's def the main person. I am too in love with Sam to let him go anywhere any time soon. As I was writing him he became much too real and now I am completely head over heals for him : )_

I don't know how long I sat there with Sam's head on my lap. All I know is that my legs began to feel numb and my back began to hurt. And though my ears strained to hear a sound other than the howling, winter wind outside and Sam's soft snore, I heard nothing. There was no sound to indicate that the belvarines were still around. I was so focused on listening to the belvarines that when I heard the sound of tires against my driveway I was startled back into action. Friend or foe?

The vehicle stopped but it's engine was still running, I could hear it's door slam shut as it's passenger or passengers slid out. I grabbed my Winchester and pointed at the door. For a few minutes I did not hear anything, and then I heard the door to my room open and I heard the deep male voices, threaded with agitation, I did not recognize a single one of them.

"Walker? Sidney Walker?" The voice calling out my full name was not familiar to me, but at least it was a human voice. "I know you are there, miss, I can hear you breathing…It's alright I am part of Samuel's pack…"

I looked down at Samuel who was still blissfully unconscious and decided he had slept enough on my lap. I tapped his shoulder repeatedly, calling his names many times until I felt him begin to stir. His skin was incredibly hot under my fingers, hot enough to keep a person warm through a Minnesota winter. His auburn lashes shifted and his eyes slowly opened. When they fell on me, I was once again surprised by the intensity of their color.

"Somebody's out there, he says he's pack,"

"Yes," His deep voice was a throaty and pained whisper. "Can you help me up?" He said slowly getting up to his hands and knees. As he attempted to rise a shiver took over his body and my robe slid off his frame.

"You know, I can just open the door, I am sure they can help you easily."

"No. I don't want to appear weaker than I must." His voice was hypnotizing, with it's drawl that made the words seem like honey in a nice spring day. For a second they made me forget the irritation in his voice, which I figured was addressed towards me.

"Just trying to help buddy." I went to his side and place my arm around his waist, feeling the muscled stomach under my hand. I could feel my cheeks flush with heat.

"You've helped enough, while I was just sleeping off-" Was he beating himself over that?

"You were poisoned-"

"I hid like a damned coward-"

"Good god, would you shut up."? I asked irritated at him now. The guy was barely alive as it was, but here he was muttering complains because he couldn't go fight rabid werewolves on his own. One thing I've learned throughout the years is that male; despite the species all think the same. I glared at him to find that his lips twitched in amusement.

"Can you stand on your own for a second?"

"Yes."

"Good." I unwrapped my arm from his waist and quickly picked up the bathrobe from the floor, all the while keeping my gaze firmly on the floor and not on his naked body. I had never considered myself a cripplingly modest woman but at that very moment I felt it so. Werewolves had no problem with nudity, but at this moment I had a problem with his. I thank whatever gods are out there that when I bought the damn robe the store only had men sizes and large ones at that. When I got up with the robe in my hand I stood behind him and motioned him to put it on.

When he finally wrapped the tassel around his waist, he looked to be sweating with exertion, his face even appeared flushed.

My robe was oversized on my frame, the sleeves much too long and the hem reached my ankles, but on him it was perfect. The hem barely reached below his knees. I nearly forgot about his pack out there until he looked like he was about to collapse. Knowing that I did not have the strength to hold him up, I grabbed my Winchester opened the door and quickly took aim.

When I threw opened the door my eyes widened at the sight. There were three men and a woman, and all were impressive. The first men, who I automatically assumed to be in power, for his stance was military straight and his face was as serious as can be said, "I am Dylan."

Undeniably he was the one who had spoken before. Dylan had a slight built and he appeared of maybe thirty-five years of age. He had non-descriptive brown hair and features, yet there was a somber look in his eyes. Somber and lethal.

My eyes moved from him and quickly scanned the rest. The man behind him was a tall blonde, built like a liner back and he was smirking as he saw Sam in the robe. There was something fairly innocent about him; it was the probably deceitful look of harmlessness that caused me to put down my weapon.

The last man, an incredibly handsome oriental fellow stayed back, his body very still.

But it was the woman who broke the subtle stillness in the room. She was a stunner, tall, with long golden brown hair and skin that was a deep gold as if winter never passed her. Her eyes were a paled green. And a pang of envy gripped my heart; for I could just imagine the mess I looked like. She quickly made her way towards the bathroom and Dylan said her name in a warning tone. "Dawn."

But her steps were halted by the command of her Alpha. "Don't you dare touch me, girl. You best keep away from me." Sam said, his voice held such anger that it made me think that maybe there was something rockier going on other than the belvarines.

"Where the hell's Kyle?" Sam asked, his mood seemed to be decreasing by the moment.

"Tracking. Phillip and Donald are helping him." Dylan said.

"Ian, help me out." Ian apparently was the large blonde because he began moving towards Sam. I moved from the way excited for this madness to be over so that I could perhaps fix my place up and get some rest, though I knew sleep would be impossible tonight.

I leaned against the wall as Ian, with his arm wrapped around Sam's waist helped Sam walked out of the bathroom. As Ian led Sam towards the door I heard Sam's words as he passed Dylan.

"Have her pack." He said in a simply commanding tone. Dylan gave a small nod and then looked at me.

"Have who pack?" I said not caring for everybody else in the room. I was not leaving this place in the state it was in.

"Pack quickly Sidney, you are coming with us." Dylan's words were calm but his eyes were slightly amused.

"No." Sam turned his head and looked at me with those eerie blue eyes.

"Carry her over your shoulder if she refuses, she ain't staying here." And then he turned dismissing me.

"You jerk! I'll be damned if you think you can just walk in here and tell me what to do! I saved your life, not the other way around!" But they were already out the door.

"Start packing, lord knows there isn't a man as stubborn as that one." Dylan said, his lips twitching at the corner. I simply glared at him.

I packed, all right. There was no way around it. Scowling all the while, muttering unlady-like curses under my breath and glaring at Dylan, whose eyes promised to throw me over his shoulder if I gave him trouble, I packed my overnight bag with basic necessities for the next two days. Despite what Sam said, I had no doubt that I wasn't staying long. I could be just as hard headed as that runt.

When we stepped outside there was a dark red Grand Cherokee Jeep waiting for us. The brisk winter air caused my fingers to feel stiff and bloodless around my bag. My thermo and unzipped jacket did little to shield me from the brutal Minnesota weather, yet I did not want to enter the vehicle. Everybody was already inside, waiting for us but I was highly reluctant to go into a steel cage in which I would be surrounded by a handful of shifters.

Seeing my reluctance made Dylan speak again. "Lets go."

"I could just follow you guys in my truck." Dawn was in the driver's seat of the vehicle, her gaze fixed on Sam's form, the oriental man, Kelvin was besides her, and Sam was sprawled onto the seat behind his head leaning back against the seat.

"Your shivering, Girl. Go in the car, nobody's going to harm you." I glared at Dylan, but I did not walk towards the vehicle.

"I don't think there's room for me with those two," I said referring to the fact that two large men were in the back seat of the vehicle, and I doubted that I could squeeze in between them.

"My truck-"

"Don't worry about your truck, just give me your keys." I took my keys out of my pocket and handed them to Dylan and he grabbed my bag as well and headed for my truck.

I slowly walked to the vehicle, as if I was walking to the guillotine.

I felt the contrast when I stepped inside. It was warm, much too toasty. I wanted to run back outside.

"Come here." I heard Sam's voice from the back and my gaze fell on him. His head was leaning back against the seat, but his bright blue eyes were fixed on me. Ian the brute scooted over as far away from Sam as possible making the only space available the one between him and Sam. When I glared at him, he simply chuckled.

"Stop the patronizing, boy." Sam said. I could hear the smile in his voice. Rolling my eyes I went and sat between Sam and Ian.

And then he scooted closed to me. His arm wrapped around my waist and his face rested against my throat. I tensed at his touch. But then I realized that his skin was extremely warm, even for a wolf. It felt just as feverish as if had felt before and a great contrast to my cold skin.

I wanted to argue with him, I wanted to yell at him. I did not mind going to a safe place for the night, but what I did mind was his unyielding manner of making a decision. Of not even asking me first, But feeling his overheated body against mine and knowing that he was as weak as a new born pup made me feel sympathetic for him.

"Your freezing, woman." His warm breath fell against my throat, causing a wave of goose-bumps to rise on my skin.

"And you're burning up." I raised my arm and wrapped it around him, welcoming his weight, instead of pushing him away as I knew I should've done. But perhaps there was now a kinship between us two, a kinship formed from surviving a dangerous situation together. Perhaps I accepted his warmth because I was a bit scared. Scared of dark memories and even darker monsters that lurked in the night. And he seemed incredibly warm and alive and those two things kept memories at bay.

"I shine not burn." He said groggily. The words flash through my memory, reminding me of knowledge you forget over time. LUCEO NON URO, I shine not burn; they were the motto of the Mackenzie clan of Scotland.

"Alright, MacKenzie, get some rest."

The jeep was started with angry movements and I looked up and caught Dawn's eyes in the mirror. The frustration and anger in them was not lost to me, it appeared her hostility was aimed at me. I did not flinch but stared at her defiantly until she angrily looked away. The soft chuckle, which was then disguised as a fit of cough, was the only noise in the vehicle besides Sam's deep breaths. Apparently Sam had lost conscious again.

If you hang out with shifters, you must abide by their rules. Loose a staring contest and the next thing you know you'll be bullied like some wimpy fourth grader in a schoolyard. I was never a wimpy fourth grader.

_Green button below, porfavor : D_


	4. Chapter 4

_**GingaNinja- OMg thank you so much : )**_

_**Lynzee44-Does her really freak you out? It wasn't my intention but we'll see what he develops into, I myself don't know yet lols….HAHA I love weirdo Sam for some reason, I think it gives a lot of room to develop : )**_

_**Charlee Rayne- LMAO! Yeah pretty much**_

_**The-Violet-Hour- Lols I like working with new characters, bc since nobody knows them yet you can do whatever you want with them : )…I am glad you like the stare down, it ended up just happening, I didn't intentionally plan it lols. **_

_**MidnightsDream92- Omg I love trueblood! I love that Sam too, he's a pretty awesome character, but he was def far from my mind when I started writing Sam, lols.**_

_**JuneBug17- Yeah he's the alpha of the pack, but as to what will develop and happen, I have no idea. I write as I go, one chapter at a time, it's why sometimes it takes me forever to update in certain stories, at times I tend to weave a pretty tangled web of my characters' life and it takes some time to find a solution lols. : )**_

_**A million thanks for the reviews guys. I love to know what is on your mind about the story, and if you have any suggestions or ideas, please let me know, I am always open to thoughts and ideas : )**_

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The irritating alarm on my phone woke me before the crack of dawn. When I opened my eyes to the still darkened room I was disoriented. For a few seconds I did not know where I was. What was worse was that before yesterday's event came rushing back to me, I thought that perhaps somehow I was_ home_. For the room despise it's obvious lack of use reminded me much of the room that had been mine in the house I grew up. It's old wooden floors and wallpaper covered walls reminded me of home.

Then I remembered last night. The rest of the night was uneventful compared to all that had happened, even when shifters constantly surrounded me. I had to remind myself at times that despite how human they looked or how warm Sam's body was against my own or how normal his breathing seemed as it fanned across the hallow of my throat, they weren't human.

I remember the silent drive that appeared to last forever, even if it ended up being a little over forty-five minutes. And After driving in silence through the indescribable scenery we came to a stop. The vehicle had pulled over in front of a large farmhouse, a beautiful and old house that seemed out of place for shifters. Truth is I was kind of expecting a warehouse in the middle of nowhere. While the house was perhaps in the middle of nowhere the red barn in the far background and the vast land surrounding it, made nowhere a somewhere.

I was guided by a silent Dawn inside the house and the men stayed outside, slowly extracting Sam from the jeep. What I briefly saw indoors was just as beautiful. It's decoration a combination of old American, rustic male and simple comfort. I was guided upstairs to a nice and comfortable, if somewhat empty bedroom. Dawn had said 'The bathroom is the last door down the hall.' And without another word, she left.

I had removed my jacket and shoes and went to bed. It did not take long for sleep to claim me.

Shutting off my alarm clock I reached out and turned on the bedside lamp. Under the soft lamplight I could've easily mistaken this room for my childhood room. The wallpaper was a different color, it's flowers gold against the pale blue background, the bed frame was not the antique metal but a rather comfortable and Spartan lightwood and where my bureau had been white, and this one matched the bed. But the windows had a similar view of the land and the wooden floor was the same. For the second time in two days I thought I was a child again. And I wish I had my mother and my father to tuck me into bed.

IT took me nearly half an hour to even gain the will to rise from the bed. When I finally succeeded in suppressing old memories and gaining some strength, I got out of bed. I noticed my bag was placed on the window seat. I went to it immediately and got out a clean pair of underwear, jeans and flannel shirt and my bathroom bag and left the room in search for a bathroom.

The corridors were dimly dark but it did not take long for me to find the bathroom. It was indeed the last door down the hall. I did not want to use a stranger's bathroom but what option did I have. I went in, relieved myself, brush my teeth, showered and even semi blow-dried my hair.

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I quietly walked down the hallway and descended the stairs carefully hating each creak the wooden floor made as I stepped on it. I knew that they shifters could probably even hear my heartbeat from any part of the house but it still did not stop me from being careful, the human habit of quietness in a dark and strange house dies hard.

I got downstairs quickly walking through the parlor and heading straight for the exit but before the exit but stopped dead in my tracks when I saw the light coming from the study, which was across from the living room. When you first came into the house there was a wide and large front hall which led to the study on the right, the living room on the left and the spacey parlor straight across.

I took a deep breath and pushed my shoulders back and walked towards the door.

"Where are you going?" I was surprise to realize that though I had only met him, I could recognize that deep drawl anywhere.

I looked into the dimly lit study and saw Sam sitting behind a large wooden desk. There were papers and a large map scattered before him. He had a marker in his hand and I could the subtle trembling of it.

"Aren't you supposed to be in bed?" I said walking towards the doorframe. I set my bag down and leaned against it, my arms crossed over my chest.

"I've got things to look after." Sam looked at my bag. "Where are you going?"

"Work." I replied. He was probably still feverish, yet there he sat working on something that appeared awfully important.

"It's six o'clock-"

"Yeah, we'll I got bills to pay." I snapped.

"You thinking of coming back?" He said slowly rising from his chair. The outlines of the bandages on his chest were clearly outlined under his t-shirt. He came from behind the desk and slowly approached me. His steps were slow and a bit less than steady, as if he was slightly buzzed.

"You need to get some rest-"

"No." Was all he said.

"A few hours ago you passed out on me, I just don't think-"

"I aint going to bed, woman, so shut it." He said scowling at me, but I saw him wince as he came to stand before me. I couldn't help but to roll my eyes at the testy male before me.

"You want to drag yourself around all week or you want to fully recover-"

"I'm fine. Christ, it's just a scratch."

"Yeah, just a scratch. Don't you be passing out again on me." I said knowing that I should get going for work but I just couldn't leave him like this. I guess I was going to be late to work. Sighting I dropped my bag against the wall and wrapped my arm around Sam's waist.

"Don't you worry, sweetheart. Ain't never passing out on you again." The suggestive tone of his voice made my cheeks grow warm.

"You need the rest. At least for today. I know you shifters heal fast, but this was a damn belvarines, so do is both a favor and let yourself rest."

"Taking me to my room?" He said leaning lightly on my side, his breath touching my face.

"Yeah, guide me." A few minutes later I was opening the door to his room, a comfortable sized room, but not at all the master bedroom I expected.

The room screamed of Sam though, the rustic wooden furniture were so like their owner that I had no doubt that he had chosen the decoration himself. The rug was reminiscent of the old west, its' pattern reminded me of those created by Native Americans. The bedside lamps were simple, it's skirt dark beige, it's pole a deep bronze. And on the wall behind the bed there was a painting, a few centuries old by the look of it, but beautiful never-less. In it wild horses ran through the American prairie.

There was something utterly intimate about seeing a strangers bedroom, but the intimacy did not derive from the bed or the closed room, but rather from the little details that grazed it; the old copy of Faulker's _As I lay dying_ on the bedside table, the alarm clock, the wristwatch scattered clumsily besides it or the basic products on the bureau like the commercialize brand of deodorant, lotion and cologne. The dark green comforter falling off the bed, the t-shirt and jeans over the chair besides the bureau. These intimate details made him all the more human that even his nudity. A part of me did not want to think of him as human.

Still with my arm around him, I guided him to his bed, where the dark green comforter laid on the floor. And placing my arms around his shoulder I helped him lay on the bed.

I sat on the bed besides his hip and allowed myself to simply stare at him. And he stared back at me.

When asleep the lines of his face visibly relaxed, making him appear younger. But when awake and looking into his corn silk blue eyes there was no denying that he had seen more than I ever would. There was wisdom, oldness in those eyes. And there was sadness, that which persisted even through his smirks and his jokes. This sadness brought a feeling of kinship in me. Perhaps it was why I was fussing over a virtual stranger, and a shifter at that too.

"Is there anything you need?"

"A bottle of scotch would be nice." In my life I had been much of an observer, even as a child at school. I would carefully watch my schoolmates and attempt to discover what they felt. There was no mistaking the bitterness in his tone.

Pushing my long unbound hair behind my ears I unconsciously leaned forward a bit. "What's wrong?"

"I have nothing." He said, his voice nothing more than a whisper. He closed his eyes. His lashes were long and a pale auburn.

"What?" My voice automatically mimicked his whisper.

"I've got nothin', only empty callused hands."

"You can't say that. You have a pack, that outta count for something." If somebody would've told me a year ago that I would be consoling a wounded werewolf I would've either punched them in their face or laughed hysterically at them. I had sworn off shifters.

"I've lived almost two hundred years and I've seen more than a human soul can bear. Everything I've ever wanted was taken from me…"He closed his eyes again. "It's a heard truth, but god has forsaken me. I wish I'd died when I was suppose to, as a human man."

Shifters were a strange breed. They had the ability to shift their bodies into that of an animal that was determined I guess by the nature of the person. It was only a myth that you became that, which bit you, as my father's people would say '_You became your brother animal.'_ Being a shifter one gained a much stronger body, one with the ability to heal nearly fifty times quicker than your average human. The change also slowed aging quite a lot. While immortality was reserved for vampires and other races, shifter aged so slowly after the change of after they reached maturity (in case they were born shifters) that their life span could last up to nearly a thousand years.

I placed my hand over Sam's looking at the contrast of them, while his skin was rosy, his hands large and strong and his arms covered lightly with red-gold hair, mine where small and pallid, obviously female in their form.

"Do you think I don't deserve anything for being a wolf?"

"Everybody has the right of happiness."

"Huh…my mother kicked my ass, pardon my tongue, out of her house when I told her what I had become….said she didn't deserve to loose her boy to the devil…its been playing in my head for too long." I squeezed his hand.

"Get some rest, Sam." I brushed his cheek with my other hand. I could feel the rough and soft texture of him red stubble against my palm.

"I'll pick you up after work."

"Sure, just get some rest." I stood from the bed and reached for the comforter. I placed it over his body. Then for some reason I cannot fathom I leaned over and placed a kiss on his warm forehead. I shut the bedside lamps off and walked out of the room.

On the drive to work strange thoughts haunted me. Thoughts about life, about death, about redemption, loss and loneliness.

_**Thanks for reading and I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, don't forget to let me know your thoughts : )**_


	5. Chapter 5

_This semester has been so dreadfully stressing, It had me breaking down. But I am finally back to writing my stories. This story as well as 'Dreadful Sorry' are probably the most difficult I've taken on, just because when I started writing I really had no idea where to go (and for 'Dreadful Sorry' I still don't) but at least for this one I have some clue now. All I know is that the more I write about Sid, the more complicated she becomes. Anyways I appreciate all the reviews for the last chapter. Thanks a ton, and now I am off to work._

_MidnightsDream92: Thank you so much for your review especially the part about the details, sometimes I get carried away lols. I am trying to edit more and see what's not really necessary : )_

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I stopped the vehicle on the side of the road, but I did not get out of the car, simply stared ahead at the endless road, paralleled by the many tall and overgrown trees.

When I had left Sam's place this morning I had headed straight to work. But throughout the day I could not concentrate on anything other than the night before. Perhaps I felt that by tucking Samuel into bed I could redeem everything I had once done. But afterwards I realized how incredibly foolish I had been. Nothing can change the past; nothing can erase old nightmares in which I played the part of a heartless monster.

I had no home. I did not know where I belonged; I had been drifting off from town to town the past year. It was why when I left work I headed home, gathered the very few things I owned, put them in my truck and drove away from town. For some reason I could not stop running, I wanted to remain anonymous in town, I wanted to be the woman nobody remembered as they passed by.

I took out my mobile from my pocket and dialed the number that had always been the same for as long as I remembered. I placed my hand over the mouthpiece; firmly holding on to make sure that no sound would bleed through on the other line.

He picked up on the third ring. His voice was just as I always remembered it, soft, deep, resonant. I closed my eyes and just held on to his voice as I held on to him when I was a child.

"Hello…Hello..." For some reason he always knew it was me. Perhaps he guessed. But he never hung up, he would talk to me, a long monologue about everything he could bring up about our small Oregon farm.

"Dad." I said knowing he would not hear me. "Dad, I miss you. I wish…I wish I was there. I wish I was with you…I am sorry." Tears began to pool in my eyes. They fell miserably down my face.

"Remember the loose floorboard on the porch, the one that would always cry when you stepped on it. I finally fixed it. Turned out it wasn't so bad as I first thought, I ended up having to fix nearly the whole damn porch but it didn't matter. I had saved enough from last year's harvest…also bought a nice pair of horses too…Bryan would've loved them." I could imagine his golden skin and dark hair salted with age. I could imagine the gentle wrinkles of his face. I could remember the smell of wood and warmth that always seemed to cling to his skin. His words made me picture the old farmhouse, the rolling pastures.

He continued on having his monologue about everything that came to his mind. From the sitcom he had taken to watching, to that summer when he, my mother, Bryan and I had traveled to the beach. He spoke of mom, who we had lost years before because of cancer. But not once did he mention the incident that had changed everything. The one that made me choose to the coward's way out and run far and away. Nearly twenty minutes later he said. "I love you, Sid. Remember that wherever you are. I love you no matter what." And then I heard the soft click of the phone and I knew he had hung up.

I hung up the phone and placed my head on my crossed arms on the steering wheel.

"What do I do?" I whispered into the lonely vehicle.

Minutes later an angry knock caused me to jump on my seat. I looked out the window and saw Kyle staring at me, his arms crossed over his chest and his expression hard and angry.

"We need to talk. Get out of the car." His words were clipped in his anger.

"No."

"Get out of the car, Sid, or by god I'll break the damn window and drag your ass out." He said.

"You can't do that, it's a free country."

"Try me." We stared at each other through the glass, and I knew I should get out of the car and face him. I knew that he would keep his words. I got out of the vehicle, slamming the door and leaning against it.

"What do you want?" I gave my voice all the hostility inside me, and still I felt bad. Kyle had been a friend to me and here I was avoiding him and treating him like crap because of what he was. I was never this prejudice, but understand that I was afraid and fear brings out the worse in people.

"What do ya think I want?"

"To get laid, it looks like you need it." I murmured as I patted my coat pockets for the cigarettes I kept for the times when emotions threatened to take over me completely.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Away." I lighted the cigarette.

"I am not going to let you run away, Sidney. I wont stand for it. You think I cant see it but I do…all this hiding and running it's tearing you apart," I flinched automatically at the truth of his words but attempted to cover it by taking a drag from the cigarette. I stared at the trees, and focused on the way they moved, on the cool wind on my cheeks, anything but the truth.

"Sidney, look at me. Please." He stood right in front of me, where I could no longer avoid the searching green eyes. "What happened to make you run so far?"

There was a knot in my throat and I knew if I even spoke I would cry again.

"I want to help you…Sid, you know I love you." I knew he loved me like a sister and that hurt even more. It reminded me that I once had a brother. "I want to help you."

"You want to help me?" I said taking another drag of the cigarette. And he nodded and that pist me off all the more. I threw the cigarette down and turned it out with my boot. "You really want to help me? You can help me by leaving me the fuck alone-"

"I wont leave you alone when all you want to do is drown in your self pity, I aint going to have that, sid. I am your friend. And I will stand besides you whether you like it or not."

I turned away from him, so that he wouldn't see the tears in my eyes. He reminded me too much of Bryan. Too much.

"I am not going to let you leave, Sid…Do you realize that the belvarines have your scent. They will track you down no matter where you go. And if you leave there will be nobody to protect you."

"I don't need anybody to protect me."

"Then realize that by leaving town you are leading them into another town, an unsuspecting human town." He knew my weak points way too well.

I felt his hand on my arm and I broke. Tears leaked down my face.

"Come on, Sid, come on." He wrapped his arms around me and I leaned into his hug, my face against the wool of his coat. I cried and he held me.

"I don't want to talk about it, Kyle. So don't ask me anything, okay?"

"Will you come back to the pack house then? I promise not to ask you anything, but you have to try to get over whatever it is, Sid." How could I get over the choices I had deliberately made?

"You're asking to too much. I'll return to town, but I am sure as hell not living among a werewolf pack. You guys probably behave like wild dogs."

"Something like that." I could hear the smile in his voice.

I made a deal with Kyle. I would be able to return to the cabin but there would always be one of the pack members to stay there with me. But I did not like having a babysitter around.

Kyle had left me alone in the cabin less than ten minutes ago; telling me not to worry that one of the pack was standing guard outside until he came back. I would not admit it aloud but maybe it was best that I had someone with me in the cabin. When Kyle left the cabin had never felt as lonely and quiet as it felt tonight.

"Where are you, Kyle?" I said aloud, my heart beating too fast under my chest.

As if in answer there was a knock on my door that made me jump from my seat. I quickly walked towards the door.

I looked through the peephole and could not mistake the man on the other side of the door. I threw the door open and the wind made my body shudder.

"What do you want?" I said, crossing my arms on my chest. Wearily I glanced behind him at the beautiful woodland that I once adored. Today it was deceitful in its beauty; monsters could hide there.

"I thought Kyle told you that you aint staying here by yourself. You could stay in my farm-"

"With a pack of shifters. Yeah, right."

I glared at him. I didn't want to see him; I wanted Kyle to be here with me. Yet there was something about Sam that made me want to smile instead of glare. Perhaps it was the combination of his skin, hair and eyes, which were much too fair to be considered threatening. Or perhaps it was the soft western drawl that melted even the hardest of hearts. Whatever the reason I did not like it one bit.

"All right. Then you'll have someone stay here with you, always. Right now it's looking like Kyle and I are taking turns…You letting me in, or you just gonna stand there glaring at me?" I was incredibly glad he did not look like the pitiful sick man he looked yesterday.

"You are not coming in." He shrugged and I was captivated by the width of his shoulders. I thought of how the layers of clothing did not lie to what was beneath, how strong his body really was. I pictured him in my head, naked as a newborn and heat pooled to my face.

Sam grinned at my flushed cheeks.

"I am staying out here, then. I can sleep on the porch…I've done worse, ya know. Hopefully I wont' freeze my b-" I closed the door on his face, shaking my head.

I went to the living room, sat on the coach, grabbed the remote control and turned on the television. I flipped through channels in attempt to find something entertaining but all I found were things to remind me of the stubborn werewolf outside. A documentary of penguins in Antarctica, surely it was as cold outside. An old western film, the dialect was similar to Sam's, a cheesy TV series about werewolves. Fifteen minutes later I was throwing the front door open. Sam was sitting on the porch, his long, denim clad legs stretched out before him.

"Where's Kyle?" I asked him.

"Pack duty." He said grinning smugly as if sensing that I had changed my mind.

"Come in and leave the gloating outside, will you?" He smiled at me, showing even white teeth and came in.

HE walked straight to the sofa I had been sitting on, placed his booted feet on my coffee table and grabbed the remote.

"Feet off the table." I said. Sighting and rolling my eyes as I made my way to the kitchen to prepared dinner.

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_"My dearest, Sid." Ernest's laugh was soft, and beautiful. His voice carried the soft accent of an English gentleman. He appeared nothing short of a gentleman, suited to stand besides the Queen of England herself. And that was perhaps because he was after all an 18__th__ century British Earl. _

_ He sat on the coach in his room simply watching me. His inky black hair fell against his forehead and he made no move to brush it back. He simply watched me with his pale blue eyes. _

_ "Would you leave it all for me?" He asked._

_ I did not answer him, but rose from the bed. Grabbed the hem of my t-shirt and pulled it over my head, I let it fall to the floor. _

_ I crossed the distance between us and came to stand between his knees. He placed his cold hands on my stomach, sliding it down until he reached the low-rise waist of my jeans. He undid the button and then zipper and slid them down my legs._

_ When I was no longer confined in my denim I placed one knee on either side of his hips and leaned in for his kiss. His lips were just as smooth, hard and cold. His hands slid from my calves, to my thighs, over my buttocks and up my back until he found the clasp of my bra. I slid my hand under his button down, feeling the cool and hard expanse of his skin. _

_ I closed my eyes, letting my body take control. And then I felt Ernest's hands move in on my throat, forcibly moving my head to the left. I opened my eyes. We were no longer in his room. _

_ A man was on the floor. His face bloodied and bruised, his dark hair so like my own. But his body was terribly wounded, almost mutilated. His stomach nearly hung open as if an animal had torn him open. And it had. _

_ "There he is." Ernest's laughter was no longer charming, no longer fascinatinng. His voice was cold and frigid. Not the man I thought he was. If man was what you'd call him. _

_ "That's not him!" I said, trying to push his hands off me. _

_ "It is…And the blame is entirely yours, dearest….Go ahead, put him out of his misery."_

I woke bathed in cold sweat.

The clock on my bedside table marked 5:20. When I had gone to bed last night, I could not sleep. I listened to the wind howling angrily against the cabin, and I tried to hold on to the knowledge that Sam was sleeping on my coach, but even that could not lulled me to the blank sleep I sought. I was too frightened, too afraid of even the shadows in my room to fall asleep. It wasn't until about four that exhaustion claimed me.

I did not want to sleep again so I headed to the bathroom and then headed downstairs on bare feet.

When I came downstairs Sam was still sleeping on the sofa. Though the sofa could never comfortably fit his six-foot-two frame, he somehow had managed. Even in the dark I could see him well. He slept on his back, one large hand over his stomach, while his other arm had fallen limply off the coach. His breathing was deep and healthy, his face and body- well rested. I envied him that; his ability to sleep peacefully.

A strange notion crossed my head, that if perhaps I could lay besides him then I could sleep just as peacefully. That could push the nightmares away.

I sat on the last step and laid my head on my knees.

I felt a hand rubbing my back and an insistent voice on my ear calling my name. When I opened my eyes I saw that Sam was no longer sleeping on the coach, but he was sitting besides me. The cabin was also illuminated by the weak light of very early morning.

"You look exhausted." Sam said, his face had the look of a person just awoken, his hair stood up in short messy spikes and his t-shirt was wrinkled.

"I am."

"You working today?"

"Yes. Ten to six."

"You need to rest, sweetheart." His blue eyes were filled with concern.

"I can't, Sam."

"You have to come home with me, it's easier to watch you there. It's Safer….Here we are open to any attacks, I had two pack members running through the surrounding land but it's really not enough-"

"I know, I'll go with you."

"Good." He got up and walked up the stairs. And I was struck of the intimacy in having a barefoot man in your house.

I got up and sat on the coach with every intention to wait for Sam to come downstairs again. But the coach was warm, and automatically I curled on my side. Daylight gave the illusion of safety and it wasn't long until my eyes closed and sleep claimed me.

_Little green buttons, Dolls and Action figures : )_


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